Getting into college is hardly the finish line for聽students; support programs like TRIO are integral in ensuring that聽many聽college students have the resources and support聽they need in order聽to聽do聽well.
At HBU, the TRIO program is part of the聽Department of Student Success & Advising.聽As director of HBU Student Support Services for TRIO, helping students is personal for Cristina Ramos.聽Everyone in the department, including聽Sarah Garza, administrative assistant for TRIO Student Support Services,聽understands that聽the department鈥檚 approach聽to each student is聽individualized.聽鈥淲e really try to meet students wherever they are in their collegiate journeys, and cheer them on toward customized success,鈥澛燝arza聽said.
The customization聽comes聽especially through聽relationships. Ariana Alexander, an HBU TRIO student success coach,聽engages students聽not only with program staff, but helps connect聽them with other mentors. She recently served as a host for a TRIO dinner in which program participants asked questions of professor panelists.聽聽
鈥淲e hope students can really get to know their professors,鈥� Alexander said.聽鈥淥ne of the reasons for the dinner is that聽it聽is an environment in which conversations can take place. We鈥檙e hoping to give students building blocks for their own success.鈥�
Students聽in聽TRIO聽have access to聽activities and resources聽like聽success seminars, financial literacy workshops, writing workshops, operas, musicals, ballets, museums and more. The experiences expose them to new people, opportunities and fresh ideas.
Junior Eunique Williams, a Biology major, has visited聽graduate schools, attended pre-medical conferences and served as a student ambassador, all聽through聽the聽TRIO program.聽鈥淢y experiences have shaped my professional and leadership development. I鈥檝e even聽made gains聽academically through the program,鈥� she said. 鈥淲ithout TRIO, I would not have been able to experience such rich opportunities. I love the fact that the doors of TRIO staff are always open to students for support.鈥澛犅�
Ramos said that聽every聽student gains something聽distinctive聽to him or her. 鈥淭RIO is a program that caters to the needs of each聽student in the program,鈥澛爏he said.聽聽
Trent Clark, a junior majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,聽describes TRIO as one of God鈥檚 blessings. 鈥淚 know TRIO has allowed me to grow as a person and to experience so many new things in life,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he TRIO staff members have become an indispensable part of my support system here on campus.鈥澛�
As the dean of the Department of Student Success & Advising, Dr. David Hao witnesses the positive results of TRIO participation each year.聽鈥淭RIO is one of the most important聽programs at HBU in improving overall student聽retention and timely graduation,鈥� he said.聽鈥淭RIO works!鈥澛�
More than just聽promoting聽accomplishments聽and聽the acquisition of聽new ideas聽while聽in school, TRIO is helpful for students鈥� life trajectories. Ramos said, 鈥淲e love serving students by providing clear paths in navigating their lives聽at HBU and beyond.鈥澛�
International Business Major聽Jacqueline聽Mendez, a senior, agreed. 鈥淭he events and workshops I鈥檝e been part of have left an impression on me,聽and聽I continue to learn from聽them,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hrough TRIO, I have gained valuable experiences that will enable me to be successful after graduation.鈥�
What is TRIO?
The federal TRIO program is a taxpayer-funded initiative of the U.S. Department of Education.聽(TRIO is not an acronym.)聽The program serves first-generation college students, students who meet U.S. Department of Education income guidelines,聽and聽students who have a documented disability. It allows for the training of TRIO staff members聽as well. Its existence is the result of the聽Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, the聽Higher Education Act of 1965聽and the Higher Education Amendments of 1968.